FIGC Blocks Lameck Banda Transfer Amid Lecce Dispute

Lameck Banda’s stand-off with Lecce has escalated into a full-blown international dispute, with the FIGC stepping in to block his proposed move to Libyan side Swehly SC and the case now poised to land on FIFA’s desk.

The Zambian winger has been missing from Lecce for over a month. He failed to report back for pre-season in Italy, then disappeared from the club’s radar, refusing to answer calls from both Lecce and his official agent. For a player who had become one of the club’s most electric attacking outlets, the silence has been deafening.

The tension spiked when Banda was spotted alongside directors from Swehly SC – also known as Asswehly Sports Club – the Libyan club whose offer Lecce had already rejected earlier in the summer. For Lecce, that sighting confirmed their worst fears: their contracted player was acting as if he were already free to move.

On Friday, the FIGC made its position crystal clear. The Italian federation announced it had refused to authorise a transfer request lodged by the Libyan federation for Banda’s registration with Swehly SC. No green light, no move.

At the heart of the dispute lies a contract clause. Reports in Italy state that Banda claims he did not know Lecce held an option to extend his deal by a further year, covering the 2026-27 season. In his view, he became a free agent on July 1, 2026. On that basis, he is refusing to recognise the validity of the extension.

Lecce – and now the FIGC – see it very differently. The federation’s statement confirmed that Banda remains under contract with the Salento club until June 30, 2027. That single line changes everything. If the option was correctly exercised, any move without Lecce’s consent would be treated as a breach.

For now, Banda is in limbo: absent from training, tied to a contract he contests, and blocked from joining the club that wants him. Lecce, backed by their federation, have drawn a firm line. The next move may belong to FIFA, and with it, a ruling that could shape not just Banda’s future, but how contract options are handled in similar cross-border disputes.